Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Much in the way KHOU 11 grabbed Lisa Hernandez from Los Angeles ABC owned and operated station KABC 7 after anchor Lucy Noland took off for LA's KNBC 4, Fox 26 KRIV is pulling the same hiring practices.

You might remember how former Fox 26 morning anchor Sibila Vargas bolted for KCBS 2's open morning anchor slot. Well now KRIV Vice President and News Director Tom Doerr is taking an anchor in return.

Last Friday it was announced that KCBS freelance reporter Rita Garcia is joining the Fox 26 family as a weekend anchor and reporter (Why am I only posting this today? Two reasons: I was out of town + food poisoning = One slow blogger).

“Rita is an outstanding reporter and anchor with a creative and compelling reporting style," Doerr said in an internal memo. "We are delighted to welcome her to the FOX 26 news team.”

A Texas native, Garcia comes to KRIV from KCBS/KCAL in Los Angeles, where she served as a freelance reporter. Prior to that, she served as a reporter for KRGV-TV in Weslaco, TX. Garcia holds two Bachelors of Arts degrees from Texas State University-San Marcos, one in Mass Communications and the other in Spanish. She began her career as a news intern for KTBC FOX 7 in Austin.

“It’s truly rewarding to be back in a place I once called home," Garcia added. "I look forward to reporting powerful stories that affect our viewers in a city that has always had a special place in my heart."